Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Bone Erosion?SymptomsManagementFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Bone Erosion?
Symptoms
Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)is a chronic inflammatory disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system targets its own healthy cells. This condition commonly affects joints throughout the body, breaking down soft tissues, such as ligaments and cartilage. However, RA can also cause bone erosion.
This article discusses bone erosion that occurs with RA, including causes, symptoms, and management of your condition.
What Is Bone Erosion From RA?
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RA causes inflammation of connective tissue in joints called thesynovial membrane. The membrane grows larger and causes breakdown ofcartilage(padding between bones in the joint) and bone erosion. Overactivity of cells called osteoclasts is responsible for bone erosion in RA.
When bone erosion is present, typically, your condition is more severe and you’ll have more difficulties with daily function.
Signs and Symptoms of Bone Erosion
Rheumatoid arthritis causes significant joint damage, leading to the following symptoms:
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How Are Symptoms Assessed?
There aren’t any “unique” symptoms for bone erosion. Imaging is often used to assess joint damage with RA, including bone erosion.
How Is Bone Erosion Managed?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to prevent bone erosion from occurring with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment for bone erosion begins with targeting youroveractive immune system, which is causing joint inflammation.
Certain RA medications have been shown to stop bone erosion and help repair some of the damage that has occurred. However, bone erosion from RA cannot be fully reversed.
Medications
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)are commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.However, not all DMARDs are effective for treating bone erosion. Traditional DMARDs target your overactive immune system as a whole to decrease inflammation but aren’t very effective for repairing bone erosion.
Biologic DMARDsare made from proteins in human genes. These medications target specific cells in your immune system and have been shown to help partially repair bone erosion.
Tips for Joint Protection
Joint protection principles can help make life easier with bone erosion from RA. Consider seeing aphysicaloroccupational therapistfor individualized interventions.
Tips for joint protection include:
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that often causes bone erosion. Excess inflammation builds up in affected joints, leading to pain, stiffness, swelling, loss of motion, and difficulty with mobility.
Bone erosion is not preventable, but treatment can help slow the progression of damage to your joints. Treatment includes medications that target your immune system and joint protection strategies to help reduce symptoms.
A Word From Verywell
Bone erosion is the breakdown of bone that occurs from excess inflammation in your joints. This is a common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis.
Bone loss (bone erosion) affects about 60% of people with rheumatoid arthritis within one year of diagnosis.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Panagopoulos PK, Lambrou GI.Bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis: recent developments in pathogenesis and therapeutic implications. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2018;18(3):304-319.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: How do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA imaging tests: What tests are done for rheumatoid arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.DMARDs.University Hospitals.Joint protection for arthritis.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Panagopoulos PK, Lambrou GI.Bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis: recent developments in pathogenesis and therapeutic implications. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2018;18(3):304-319.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: How do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA imaging tests: What tests are done for rheumatoid arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.DMARDs.University Hospitals.Joint protection for arthritis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Panagopoulos PK, Lambrou GI.Bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis: recent developments in pathogenesis and therapeutic implications. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2018;18(3):304-319.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: How do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA imaging tests: What tests are done for rheumatoid arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.DMARDs.University Hospitals.Joint protection for arthritis.
Panagopoulos PK, Lambrou GI.Bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis: recent developments in pathogenesis and therapeutic implications. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2018;18(3):304-319.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: How do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA imaging tests: What tests are done for rheumatoid arthritis?
Arthritis Foundation.DMARDs.
University Hospitals.Joint protection for arthritis.
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